Systems and methods for a compact remote center manipulator

Abstract

A manipulator for a surgical instrument may comprise an instrument holder coupled with the surgical instrument and rotatable in a plane that passes through a remote center. The manipulator may also comprise a linkage assembly coupled to the instrument holder to limit motion of the instrument holder to rotation about an axis that intersects the remote center. The linkage assembly may comprise a first linkage arm comprising first and second pulleys. Each pulley may comprise first and second drive tracks which are substantially co-planar. The first linkage arm may also comprise a first drive member section extending between the first drive tracks of the pulleys and a second drive member section extending between the second drive tracks of the pulleys. The first drive member section may be wound around the first pulley in a first direction and the second drive member section may be wound around the first pulley in an opposite direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A manipulator for articulating a surgical instrument, the manipulator comprising:
 an instrument holder configured to couple with the surgical instrument and to rotate in a plane that passes through a remote center of manipulation; and 
 a linkage assembly coupled to the instrument holder and configured to produce motion of the instrument holder that is limited to rotation about a first axis that intersects the remote center of manipulation, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
 a first linkage arm comprising:
 a first pulley and a second pulley, wherein each of the first pulley and the second pulley comprise a first drive track and a second drive track, wherein the first drive track and the second drive track are substantially co-planar, with the first drive track extending at least partially around the second drive track; 
 a first drive member section extending between the first drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley; and 
 a second drive member section extending between the second drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley, 
 
 wherein the first drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a first tensile direction and the second drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a second tensile direction opposite to the first tensile direction. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The manipulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first drive track of the first pulley is concentric with the second drive track of the first pulley. 
     
     
       3. The manipulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first drive member section comprises a first belt section and the second drive member section comprises a second belt section, and wherein the first pulley includes a first belt anchor configured to retain an end portion of the first belt section in the first pulley. 
     
     
       4. The manipulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first drive member section is directly coupled to the second drive member section. 
     
     
       5. The manipulator of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly further comprises a second linkage arm extending between the first linkage arm and the instrument holder. 
     
     
       6. The manipulator of  claim 5 , wherein the second linkage arm comprises:
 a third pulley and a fourth pulley, wherein each of the third pulley and the fourth pulley comprise a third drive track and a fourth drive track, wherein the third drive track and the fourth drive track are substantially co-planar; 
 a third drive member section extending between the third drive tracks of the third pulley and the fourth pulley; and 
 a fourth drive member section extending between the fourth drive tracks of the first pulley and the fourth pulley, 
 wherein the third drive member section is wound around the third pulley in a third tensile direction and the fourth drive member section is wound around the third pulley in a fourth tensile direction opposite to the third tensile direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The manipulator of  claim 6 , wherein the second and third pulleys are rotatable about a common axis. 
     
     
       8. The manipulator of  claim 6 , wherein the third drive track of the third pulley is concentric with the fourth drive track of the third pulley. 
     
     
       9. The manipulator of  claim 6 , wherein a first distance between a first pulley center of the first pulley and the remote center of manipulation remains approximately equal to a second distance between a third pulley center of the third pulley and a fourth pulley center of the fourth pulley as the instrument holder rotates in the plane. 
     
     
       10. The manipulator of  claim 1 , further comprising a joint coupled to the first linkage arm and configured to rotate the instrument holder about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and that intersects the remote center of manipulation. 
     
     
       11. A manipulator for articulating a surgical instrument, the manipulator comprising:
 an instrument holder configured to couple with the surgical instrument and to rotate in a plane that passes through a remote center of manipulation; and 
 a linkage assembly coupled to the instrument holder and configured to produce motion of the instrument holder that is limited to rotation about a first axis that intersects the remote center of manipulation, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
 a first linkage arm comprising:
 a first pulley and a second pulley, wherein each of the first pulley and the second pulley includes an outer drive track and an inner drive track nested within the outer drive track; 
 a first drive member section extending between the inner drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley; and 
 a second drive member section extending between the outer drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein rotation of the first pulley in a first direction causes a rotation of the second pulley in the first direction, and 
 
 
 wherein rotation of the first pulley in a second direction causes a rotation of the second pulley in the second direction. 
 
     
     
       12. The manipulator of  claim 11 , wherein the inner drive track and the outer drive track are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
       13. The manipulator of  claim 11 , wherein the first drive member section comprises a first belt section and the second drive member section comprises a second belt section, and wherein the first pulley includes a first belt anchor configured to retain an end portion of the first belt section. 
     
     
       14. The manipulator of  claim 11 , wherein the first drive member section is directly coupled to the second drive member section. 
     
     
       15. The manipulator of  claim 11 , wherein the linkage assembly further comprises a second linkage arm extending between the first linkage arm and the instrument holder. 
     
     
       16. The manipulator of  claim 15 , wherein the second linkage arm comprises:
 a third pulley and a fourth pulley, wherein each of the third pulley and the fourth pulley includes an outer drive track and an inner drive track nested within the outer drive track; 
 a third drive member section extending between the inner drive tracks of the third pulley and the fourth pulley; and 
 a fourth drive member section extending between the outer drive tracks of the third pulley and the fourth pulley, wherein rotation of the third pulley in a third direction causes a rotation of the fourth pulley in the third direction, and 
 wherein rotation of the third pulley in a fourth direction causes a rotation of the fourth pulley in the fourth direction. 
 
     
     
       17. The manipulator of  claim 16 , wherein the second and third pulleys are rotatable about a common axis. 
     
     
       18. The manipulator of  claim 16 , wherein the inner drive track and the outer drive track of the third pulley are substantially co-planar. 
     
     
       19. The manipulator of  claim 16 , wherein a first distance between a first pulley center of the first pulley and the remote center of manipulation remains approximately equal to a second distance between a third pulley center of the third pulley and a fourth pulley center of the fourth pulley as the instrument holder rotates in the plane. 
     
     
       20. The manipulator of  claim 11 , further comprising a joint coupled to the first linkage arm and configured to rotate the instrument holder about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and that intersects the remote center of manipulation.